Miroslav Klose: Germany's all-time leading goalscorer retires from football

Miroslav Klose helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup 12 years after collecting a runners-up medal at the 2002 tournament

Germany's all-time leading goalscorer Miroslav Klose has retired from football.

The former Bayern Munich striker, 38, helped his country win the World Cup in 2014, becoming the record scorer in the tournament's history with 16.

Klose, a two-time Bundesliga winner with Bayern, was without a club after his Lazio contract expired last season.

He now plans to join Germany's coaching staff after an invitation from manager Joachim Low.

"We're looking forward to Miro,'' said Low, who this week extended his contract through to the 2020 European Championship.

"I am sure that we coaches, just like the players, will benefit very much from his presence and involvement.

"He will not just be with us on the training field, but also contribute his views to preparing for opponents and to game and video analysis."

Poland-born Klose made the first of his 137 international appearances in 2001 and broke Gerd Muller's 40-year-old record of 68 goals in June 2014.

He retired from international football after helping Germany win the World Cup two years ago. He scored 71 goals for his country.